Video: Using the Links panel

When you import a picture unto InDesign using place or by dragging in a file from disk or Mini Bridge InDesign doesn't actually embed the image into your document. Instead you get a thumbnail preview of the image and a link to the file on disk. Now this happens to any image file, whether you import a PDF or JPEG or a TIF or whatever. So each of the images in this file is actually linked to a file on my hard disk, and I can see that by opening the Links panel. Over here in the dock I'll click on Links, and here's a list of all the images that are linked in my file.

Author David Blatner provides in-depth training on InDesign CS5, the print and interactive page layout application from Adobe, in InDesign CS5 Essential Training. The course shows how to create new documents with strong and flexible master pages, precisely position text and graphics, prepare documents for print, and export designs as interactive PDF or Flash SWF files. Exercise files are included with the course.

Using the Links panel

When you import a picture unto InDesign using place or by dragging in afile from disk or Mini Bridge InDesign doesn't actually embed the imageinto your document.Instead you get a thumbnail preview of the image and a link to the file on disk.Now this happens to any image file, whether you import a PDF or JPEG or a TIF or whatever.So each of the images in this file is actually linked to a file on my hard disk,and I can see that by opening the Links panel.Over here in the dock I'll click on Links, and here's a list of all the imagesthat are linked in my file.

If I click on one of these images, it's highlighted in the Links panel.I also get information at the bottom of the Links panel in the Link Info area.You can hide and show that by double clicking on the link image, double click onit once and it closes that Link Info, double click again, and it opens.Now this Link Info is very helpful because it gives you information about thename, the format, what page it's on, its color space, and on and on and on.It's especially helpful, because it gives you information like it's scaling,this image has currently scaled 6.3%.

So that kind of feedback is very useful when you're working with images in InDesign.I also want to point out these blue numbers in the right column up here in thetop of the Links panel.These are page numbers, and in a long document they can really be helpful,because they tell you exactly what page these images are on.In fact, if you click on one of these, it takes you right to the image on that page.The Links panel is also very customizable, you can really customize it to theway that you work, the kind of information you most need in here.

I'll choose panel Options from the Links panel menu, and you can see here thatyou can turn on and off all kinds of information in two different columns.The Show in Link Info column lets you control what shows up at the bottom herein the Link Info area.The Show Column checkboxes let you control what shows up in the top part of theLinks panel up here.So for example, if you really want to find that Scale information up here in acolumn you can get that information as well, just turn on that checkbox, clickOK, and it's added here.

Now I can't see it, because it's too wide.So I am going to make this Links panel wider just by dragging the left edge out.But you can see now that every image in my document has a scale percentage next to it.If it's too narrow, I can also make this wider by dragging this little verticalarea to the right of it.Notice that this image here says 5% by 7.5%.That is very helpful because it immediately give me feedback that the image wasscaled disproportionately, it's not scaled evenly, horizontally and vertically.

So that kind of information once again is very, very handy when you'reworking in InDesign.Now as I said all of these images are linked to files on disk, but what happensif InDesign can't find those files or what happens if those files get modified.Well, let's take a look.I am going to open up a new InDesign document here inside my Exercise filesfolder, and I'm going to see that as soon as I do that InDesign warns me, watch out.There is one image in this file which is missing, and one which is modified. What should I do?Well, at this point I can update the modified links if I want to, but I rarelydo, and the reason I rarely do is because I like to see them update on the page.

I like to make sure that the update is what I want to have happen.So I'm going to say Don't Update Links, it opens the document and now for thisdocument I say the Links panel gives me some extra information.I see the names of files of course, but I also see this little icon, and thislittle icon, that means that the map image is modified.So the yellow triangle means it's modified, the stop sign with a question markin it means that one is missing.So alert, alert, we must do something before we print or export a PDF, or atleast we really should do something.

So let's go check those out, I'm going to click on the one here to jump right tothe California map, and we can look at that.I am going to switch this to high quality display as well, so I can see this little clear.It looks good.Now if I want to update that, it's very easy.I select it in the Links panel and then I click the Update Link button in themiddle of this Links panel, or I could go to Links panel menu and choose Update Link.Note that I also have the option to Update All Links.This is very useful if you open a document and you have like 30 links that areall modified for one reason or another.

You could update all of them quickly here.But in this case I am just going to update this one link, and we can see thatwell something changed about that.Whatever changed, I think this little thing moved down just a little bit. So that's good.We can see that we now are okay.There is no icon there, which means that everything is good about this file. So that's helpful.What about this file here, this taste of cal logo thing?Let's go take a look at what that is. There it is.It says Vector Artwork and it's missing.So what should we do?Well, we need to relink it to a file on disk, and the way we do that is to clickon this Relink button, it looks like the little broken chain.

Or we can go to the Relink from the fly-out menu here.It opens this dialog box and it asked me to locate the file that was missing.Now I happened to know that it's here inside the Links folder, so I am simplygoing to select it, and then click Open.That's all it took.It found it, it relinked it.It comes in, it looks beautiful, and we're good to go.So what would've happened if I tried to print or export without relinking thatimage if it was missing?Well, InDesign would have simply used the low-resolution kind of pixilatedversion that you saw on screen.

So that would not make me a very happy camper.So it's really important that you go in there, and relink your files beforeprinting or exporting.Now one more thing I want to show you about the Links panel.I can select an image here in the Links panel, and then choose Reveal in Finderfrom the Links panel menu, or on Windows it would be Reveal in Windows Explorer.I can also reveal it in Bridge or Mini Bridge, but in this case I'm simply goingto reveal it in Finder.And this switches to the Mac Finder opens up the folder and chooses it on my desktop there.

This is a very helpful thing when you're trying to find an image and you are notsure way around your desktop that image came from.Now there are a lot of other tools and features in this Links panel and I amgoing to be covering many of those later in this chapter.But from now it's obvious that the Links panel is really something you wantto keep your eye on.

Q: In the “Exporting to PDF” video, the author states "The flattener, and how to control it, is an advanced topic that I cover in a later title."
Is this “later title” available on lynda.com yet?

A: Unfortunately that title is still in development. However, the features are exactly the same in CS4, so please see Chapter 11 in InDesign CS4 Beyond the Basics.

Q: Can an image be placed into a cell in InDesign?

A: Yes, but only as an anchored (inline) object. Cut the frame with the Selection tool, switch to the Type tool, click in the cell, and Paste.

Q: Is it possible to load or import pages from one document to another in InDesign CS5?

A: Pages cannot be “loaded”, but they can be "pushed" from one document to another by choosing Layout > Pages > Move Pages.

Q: When I place an image, it is distorted or pixilated to the point of not being able to use it. I can place or open those same images in Photoshop or Illustrator and they are fine.

A: You are likely seeing the low-resolution preview. To see high resolution or vector artwork, choose View > Display Performance > High Quality.

Q: When I place an image, it is distorted or pixilated to the point of not being able to use it. I can place or open those same images in Photoshop or Illustrator and they are fine.

A: You are likely seeing the low-resolution preview. To see high resolution or vector artwork, choose View > Display Performance > High Quality.

Q: I'm looking for a tutorial that will allow me to use InDesign to create files that can be emailed. I guess they have to be converted to HTML first? Is that possible?

A: If you are trying to make an HTML email, then InDesign really isn't the tool for you. It's HTML abilities are extremely limited. Look toward Dreamweaver for that. Alternatively, you could create a layout in InDesign, then export the page as a JPEG image and put that in the email.

Q: Since I upgraded to the new version of InDesign, when I click the "edit original" button in the Links panel, the pictures open in Preview instead of Photoshop

A: If you are using the Mac OS, you may need to turn off Window > Application Frame in order to see files behind InDesign (such as those on the Finder Desktop). If you are on Windows, you are seeing a difference between Mac and Windows. In Windows, the application is always living inside the application frame. If you un-maximize the windows frame, you can drag it smaller so you see the desktop and drag to or from it.

Q: I am currently working on an InDesign document originally created in Spanish. I am translating it to English and I need to change the language preference to be able to use the spell check in English. I have changed it in Preferences, but when I go to do the spell check on the document it is still in Spanish. How can I change the spell check to English?

A: Changing the language in preferences does not change the document or text language. You need to change the langauge in the paragraph style or the character style or in the Character panel or the Control panel (select the text first).

Q: In the movie, "Inserting, deleting, and moving pages" the author claims you can Shift-click text and the red overset symbol (a plus sign) will disappear. This isn't working for me.

A: Shift-clicking to make text automatically flow to the next text box or boxes only works when you place text from a loaded cursor. Shift-clicking existing text will not affect it.

Instead, if the overset text symbol appears in an existing text frame, choose the Selection tool and click the symbol to load the text in your cursor. Then Shift-click inside the next text frame to start it auto-flowing from there.

Q: I want to add a 2-page spread following a 1-page spread, but when I insert two new pages, InDesign creates a 3-page spread. How do I solve this?

Q: The keys used for navigating to the previous or next spread in a layout (Command+Page Up/Command+Page Down) don't appear on my laptop keyboard and the arrow keys don't work. What keys should I use?

A: Most laptop keyboards don't have these keys anymore. Look for a "modifier" key (such as the Alt or Fn keys) to press to access these keys. For example, on a Macbook Pro, you'd press Command and then Fn+Up Arrow to invoke Next Spread.

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Learn by watching, listening, and doing, Exercise files are the same files the author uses in the course, so you can download them and follow along Premium memberships include access to all exercise files in the library.

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